Oh I forgot to mention that I tried to get codes while cranking and still only code 12 flashes.Thank you to any replies my friends.

 

Have you checked your fuses? Does your instrument panel lights work? Ig-coil fuse and F1 fuse will prevent the car from starting, among other things. The code 12 hopefully means that the capacitors in your ECU are still ok. Hopefully. However, if they have never been replaced, this is most definitely in your future. A $5 fix if you know how to solder - or your local computer geek can do this for you.
By the way, the CEL will come on when the rpms hit 300 rpm normally.

 

Thanks Bex will check all the fuses next and see what I get and report back.I have to find someone with a DMM I can use.I will make sure to check everything twice.Thanks again Bex

 

Check the earth strap from the battery to the starter motor and also the strap from the back of the distributor to the firewall. Sometimes when an earth is bad it grounds out through the clutch cable, adjusting that may have just shown up an existing problem.

 

Rhino I am sorry I do not know how to "check" the grounds straps.Could you tell me exactly what to do to "check " them please.Thank you I am so new at all of this.

 

I checked the fuses under the dash and they were all good.I did not see a fuse that said F1?Is this fuse located somewhere else?I checked with a dmm and they all made the beep sound when touched 2x.

 

Sorry, didn't pick up that you are the earlier 1990 fuse box - no F1 there, just the ig-coil fuse.
Ground straps are just black ground wires, which connect from various circuits to various parts in the car, usually using the car itself as the ground - you will see a black ground wire just above the starter on the right hand side of the engine. There is another just behind the distributor on the firewall, which are the two the Rhino is suggesting that you check for good connection, etc.

 

Thank you so far my friends I really appreciate your time.Can someone please tell me how to use the DMM to check the grounds properly?I only know how to test the fuses with it.

 

Oh I am sorry I thought I had to test them?I will clean them and I am not sure how you look inside the cable?I tried to get one of my friends to tow me with a strap since my car is only blocks away but they said no So i ended up joining AAA and have my car towed here.Much easier to try and work on when you don't have to walk blocks...lol At least now I have 3 extra tows this year.

 

There are two ways to check the ground straps with a DMM. With the engine off measure the resistance across each ground strap, it should be almost zero ohms. With the engine on measure the voltage across the strap, it should be almost 0 Volts, measure the voltage across the main earth strap while the engine is cranking.

 

Ok will clean and test with dmm.Thanks guys I will post back with results this weekend when I get a chance to do those two things.

 

Well a friend came over and sprayed starter fluid in intake and car started so he said its on the fuel side of why it will not start?Any suggestions on what to do next?He says fuel pump but I don't want to throw parts.I want to make sure it is the fuel pump.Thanks to any suggestions.

 

You may want to check the connections for the fuel pump and ground that are located behind the left rear tail light, which is a known rust area. I believe that on the 1990, the fuel pump does not prime for 3 seconds like the newer cars do - you have to test the pump wire (pink/black) for voltage as you are cranking. It should be getting 12v. You should also check your fuel pressure. You may also want to make sure that your car is not flooding at start up - if you depress the gas pedal to the floor and try to start the car, it stops the ECU from delivering fuel - see if the car can start that way, or after cranking and no start, pull one of your plugs to see if it is wet.

 

Thanks again Bex,I can rule out #3 off the bat.I know it is not flooding cause I cranked it 2 times to show my friend and the first thing he did was check for spark.The plugs were not wet and did not smell like fuel.I will have to buy a fuel pressure gauge next to do that test.But I can test the connections for voltage as soon as I look into how to do that...lol and see if I get 12V while cranking at the( pink/black) pump wire.I think I read somewhere too that the fuel pump does not prime on my car.So I will get back to you once completed those 2 things.Thanks again I really appreciate all your time and help.

 

[Most car parts stores loan free tools (like a fuel pressure gauge). You just leave a refundable deposit which is fully refunded when you bring the tool back.]

 

Bex I have checked the Pink/Black wire at the rear left taillight and got 0 Volts.I tried 6 times and assuming I did it correctly I got 0 volts cranking everytime?Can you help me out as to what to do next?I did check my battery to make sure the meter was actually working and it did detect the battery.Thanks to any replies my friends

 

Assuming you did it correctly and assuming that your battery has full power, you should try and locate the main/fuel pump relay (both housed in one connector, under your dash by your left knee). I believe on your car it has 8 pins on it - wiring will be pink, pink/black, black/yellow, black/green, etc. See if the pink/black has 12v there, same test as above, while cranking. If it does, then the relay is ok, the power to it is ok, but your problem is somewhere between the relay to the pump - the wiring, which will run through a lot of connections..

However, before you do that, you may want to try another thing....the clutch safety switch is by the top of the clutch pedal, on the firewall - a small button that is depressed each time you push the clutch in - the switch on this closes with the pedal depressed, so that the circuit is only running each time the clutch pedal is down, as a safety feature (so you don't start off in gear and lurch forward). You may want to try (with parking brake on, transmission in neutral, no small children at front of car) actually getting up under the dash and manually pushing that button down and with the button depressed crank the car.

 

Hi Bex and friends,I checked the pink/black wire under dash next to ecu and get 0 volts cranking.I checked the little button while cranking and nothing also.What to do now?Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

You tested the pink/black wire with the red lead from your volt meter to that wire, and the black lead touching clean metal of the car somewhere?? And you have confirmed that your dome fuse and your ignition coil fuse under the dash are both working properly? They have 12vdc on both sides?? Do your interior lights on the dash (like oil, battery, etc. work? Does your cigarette lighter work?
Have you put the diagnostic jumper into the car and cranked, leave the key in the on position, and seen if the ECU is still giving a code 12, or has it changed to 41 or 42? Do you have 12v on the blue/black wire at the main/fuel pump relay?

 

Hi Bex,this is what I have done so far,Checked the Pink/Black wire at the tail (0 Volts).Then the Pink/Black wire under the dash (0 Volts), both while the connectors were plugged in by using a needle stuck in with the wire and putting my red lead on the needle and black lead to clean body then cranking.I checked the fuses under the dash 2x and all gave me a beep on the meter.I have checked the little button at upper clutch by pushing it in then cranking (Nothing happened).I tried to get codes when it first died and got code 12 with key on,then I cranked it and still code 12.I tried again 2 days later same thing code 12 key on and cranking.Why would the CEL be steady on and then show no code but 12?I do have dash lights.I have not checked the head lights or the Blue/Black wire which I assume is under dash.What is the Blue/Black wire for?I am down to 12.4 volts on my battery from cranking so much.I have to buy a battery charger next.This might be a stupid question but why do you have to crank the car every time you try to test a wire for volts?Thanks my friend really really appreciate your help.Will report back with Black/Blue wire readings and if headlights work.

 

You don't have to crank the ca for every wire - only for the fuel pump wiring as, in your car, the fuel pump will not prime/run without cranking. In the later cars (91+) the fuel pump runs for 3 seconds each time you turn the key to the on position (without cranking or starting the car) so you have those 3 seconds in which to test the fuel pump wiring for battery voltage. Sadly, your fuel pump does not do this, but only gets its voltage once you are cranking.

In any event, before you go any further confirm that you can still get the code 12 from the computer. The computers in these cars govern fuel delivery, and if the computer (capacitors) are bad, you will only be able to crank the car. You seem to mention that your check engine light now only stays on, and you are no longer able to get codes?? What mileage is on your odometer? There is a service engine soon function that turns on at specific miles, like 50,000, 100,000 etc. and you will be unable to get codes while this function is on. However, if it's not on, and your CEL is just stuck on, then there is a very good possibility that your capacitors in the ECU have failed, and this is what is preventing the ECU from energizing the fuel pump circuit. Advise whether or not you can get this code 12 (or any code). Your ECU is just behind the left front speaker - a gray metal box. There are 3 caps in there that fail - we have all had to change them out - a $5.00 fix.

 

Hi again Bex and friends,I have confirmed my headlights do go on but they are in a low state.Need to charge my battery.I still get a code 12 when I put key on and cranking.No other codes come up but 12.So I do get code 12 when I put the diagnostic fuse in.When I do not have the fuse in and just put key on CEL stays on.Ok now I tried to look for the Blue/Black wire,I was unable to locate it?Is it under the dash and what does it go to?That way I have an idea where to look under there.Its like a jungle of thick tree trunk wires under there.I now understand why I have to crank for the voltage on the fuel pump wires,duh me.Thanks Bex.

 

Yes, the wires under the dash are quite like spaghetti. You are primarily concerned with the fuel pump/main relay (called control relay) - that one combined relay (2 separate parts inside) that deals with the fuel pump and ECU. An electrical diagram of it is here:

 

Hi Bex and friends,I had a chance over the weekend to test the Blue/Black wire under the dash as per diagram.Thanks Bex.It also has 0 volts.What does this mean and what to do next.What does that wire Blue/Black come from or do?

 

I believe that the blue/black wire provides ECU power - if you do not have 12v at the blue/black wire at the control relay, you will have to pull the ECU and see if the ECU is powering that wire. The blue/black wire comes from 2 ECU pins on the green connector (B1 and B7) - looking at the back of the connector, it is the top right pin (B1) , and the 2nd pin from the left, also on the top row (B7), I believe. Your computer will be a bit different from mine but I think that the pins will be similar - look for the blue/black wire going into the green ECU connector. Then, with key on, test (backprobe) each of these pins with the red lead from your DVM on B1, and the black probe either to a body ground or to pin B2 (top row, second from right, wire color black/green which is the ECU ground). You should have 12v (or battery voltage). Do the same on pin B7, you should also have 12v. If you have 12v at the ECU connector, then your relay (or wiring to it) is bad. If you don't have 12v at the ECU connector, then probably your ECU (its capacitors) are bad. They can be replaced, by the way, for about $5.

 

Thanks Bex your such a great teacher.I will do what you advise and get back to you this weekend if not sooner.Thanks so much.